Flag Day

Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States by the Second Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. It celebrates the American flag as one of the world's most recognized symbols — a banner that has flown over battlefields, courthouses, schoolhouses, and the surface of the Moon, standing for liberty, unity, and the enduring promise of the American republic.

The flag has evolved over the centuries as new states joined the Union, but its meaning has remained constant: it represents the American people, their shared values, and the nation they have built together across 250 years.

The Flag Resolution of June 14, 1777, passed by the Continental Congress, established the design of the national flag: thirteen stars and thirteen stripes representing the original thirteen colonies. As new states joined the Union, stars were added — until the current 50-star flag was adopted on July 4, 1960, after Hawaii's admission.

The 50-star flag was designed by 17-year-old Robert G. Heft as a high school class project in 1958. He received a B− for the assignment — but his design was selected from more than 1,500 entries submitted to President Eisenhower. It has now been in use longer than any previous version of the flag.

President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed June 14 as Flag Day in 1916, and Congress established it as a permanent national observance in 1949. Flag Day also marks the birthday of the United States Army, founded on June 14, 1775 — linking the flag to the very beginnings of American military service.

The American flag is more than cloth and color. It is a symbol of national unity — proof that a diverse people, spread across a vast continent, can be united by shared ideals and a common commitment to liberty and self-government.

When Francis Scott Key watched the flag fly over Fort McHenry through a night of British bombardment in 1814 and wrote the words that became "The Star-Spangled Banner," he captured something essential: the American flag is a symbol of resilience, of defiance in the face of threat, and of the endurance of the republic.

Americans observe Flag Day by displaying the American flag at homes and businesses, participating in flag-raising ceremonies and parades, attending patriotic programs, and learning about the history and proper etiquette of the flag. Schools, veterans' organizations, and civic groups often hold special programs. The Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia marks the day with events honoring the creation of the first American flag.

As America approaches its 250th birthday, Flag Day takes on special significance. The Stars and Stripes that flies today is the same flag — evolved but continuous in spirit — that has accompanied the nation through every chapter of its 250-year history. It flew at Valley Forge, at Gettysburg, on the beaches of Normandy, and on the surface of the Moon.

Flag Day 2026 invites Americans to look at the flag and see not just a national symbol, but a living testament to 250 years of courage, sacrifice, and the enduring promise of American liberty.